He called on SCO to use the mega market of this block, facilitations in trade and investments, as well as closer cooperation in energy, infrastructure, technologies and AI. Beijing announced 2 billion yuan non -returnable help for members and 10 billion yuan loans for the SCO bank consortium.
In Tianjin appeared, among others Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi, as well as leaders from Central Asia and the Middle East. The scale and composition of participants – over 20 heads of states and governments – were to emphasize the solidarity of the global south, which Beijing puts as an alternative to Western security systems.
XI also used the moment to break the ice cream with India. After the first visit of Modi in China in seven years, both leaders declared that Beijing and Delhi are development partners, not rivals, agreeing activities to improve trade and stabilization at the disputed border of the Himalayas. The frostbite of air connections and the abolition of some barriers in trade were also announced.
American duties in the background
American duties were a counterpoint for Chinese narrative. XI, criticizing the “Cold War Mentality”, hit protectionism-a week before the US summit, they imposed a total of 50 %. Tariffs for goods from India, which in Delhi was adopted as a severe blow to SMEs and exports. This context clearly strengthened the common front of Beijing and Delhi against tariff pressure.
Vladimir Putin's words were the greatest political accent of opening. The President of Russia stated that the “arrangements” developed during the August summit with Donald Trump in Alaska open the way to peace in Ukraine, thanking China and India for “constructive proposals”.
At the same time, talks with the USA have not brought a breakthrough yet. Trump talked about very productive consultations, but no agreement. Reuters' reports and subsequent leaks sketched the framework of the Russian offer, including territorial postulates, which Kiev rejected. In other words, the “arrangements” that Putin talked about does not mean a formal truce or a specific schedule.
The peak in Tianjin is part of the Beijing Plan: Build SCO as a security organization with your own economic and financial infrastructure and a language against “block confrontation”. Hence both Money announcements, as well as support signals addressed to countries affected by customs and sanctions.
For India, the peak was an attempt to strategic balance
On the one hand, Delhi needs relaxation on the border and access to the Chinese market, on the other – he does not want to undermine the ties from the USA, although new tariffs from Washington are prompting to revise the calculation. India, therefore, present the tone of “partnership” with China, but without giving up strategic autonomy and a critical view of the Russian proposal of “Peace” at the expense of Ukraine's territory.
Do Putin's words in Tianjin signal a real phrase? For now, they resemble an image maneuver more. After meeting Trump, the Kremlin wants to use the SCO forum to show that the diplomatic initiative belongs to him and his partners from Asia. At least three things would be needed for the real peace process – under fair conditions: publicly defined and acceptable minimal demands of Russia, Kiev consent and security guarantees in format, which limits the risk of another aggression. So far, none of these premises can be seen in a binding form.
